Louder Than Labels: Narciss interview
We had a chat with Narciss about the queer scene in Berlin, their legacy, the best queer anthem, and more.
Last updated: 22nd Jul 2025
Originally published: 11th Jul 2025
Following our interviews with Mandidextrous, Bimini, and Bent Hedonism's Jase Jeffrey, we’re now back with Berlin’s Narciss, a representative of unpredictability in music.
Narciss is a DJ driven by connection and catharsis. Known for tracks like ‘Make It Thru’, ‘While You Sleep’ with DJ HEARTSTRING, and ‘Midsommar’ with MRD, their music has been lapped up by plenty of die-hard ravers across the globe. Determined to share the transformative powers of music far and wide, we just had to snap them up for a quick chat.
What does it mean to be a queer DJ today? What impact were they hoping to have on the queer music scene? And, of course, what is their favourite gay anthem?
Celebrating queer artists and hearing their perspectives, this is Louder Than Labels, and this is Narciss.
Growing up, was there a local queer scene you felt part of, or was it something you found yourself longing for?
"Starting off the interview on a bit of a downer unfortunately, hahaha. So I’m from Berlin, which of course has a very large queer scene and is often painted as this Mecca for openness and inclusivity, but sadly, growing up here, this is not something that I can confirm.
“A dear friend of mine once said, ‘The only communities that form in this city form around white lines on a phone screen’, and as a person who doesn’t do drugs and prefers to spend their weekends in record stores or playing video games rather than partying, I never felt quite accepted in the midst of Berlin’s queer scene at all, to the degree that I even felt like I might actually not be queer, because I was so unlike the ideal Berlin image of what ‘queerness’ looked like.
"It took until traveling a little bit and coming into contact with, what I would call ‘more open’ queer communities, like in Copenhagen, Manchester, Barcelona or London, that I truly understood, ‘Ah okay there is place for me in this community, I do belong here’, which definitely was an incredibly liberating and beautiful experience.”
When you started out, what kind of impact did you hope to have on the queer scene?
"I remember that, when I started coming out to my friends as non-binary, I initially never intended to come out publicly. I was just too shy and it felt like I couldn’t handle it if there would be any hate directed towards me. But after thinking about it, I only ever realized my own queerness because of all the brave Queens, Kings, and Royalties who have spoken out about themselves and their stories with the topic. So I decided to do the same, because damn, if I can help even one single person with their life, either by making them feel less alone or showing them what queerness can also look like, then why would I choose to not do that?”
What does it mean to be a queer artist in today’s music scene?
"It’s so simple: I really do think we have to just stick together. Support each other, help each other, pick each other up when we’re down instead of trying to outgun each other. The music scene is a mean mosh pit nowadays, and I think none of us babes deserve to be left behind. Unfortunately, capitalism doesn’t care a whole lot about community, quite the opposite, so it’s up to queer artists to show that things can be done differently - to treat each other with the respect that we ourselves wish to receive."
How do you hope queer artists in the future will see your work or legacy?
"Ouf, ahahaha. Uhm, I honestly never thought about that. I guess that I just hope it gives joy and maybe a bright moment where otherwise there would have been a glum one. I do think I try to make music that can have the ability to heal you at the best of times, so maybe that could be a legacy I leave behind - a legacy of healing music."
What’s your favourite gay anthem and why?
"I agonised so much over this, hahaha! But in the end, I knew. It can be only one. Ever since watching The Full Monty when I was a teenager and seeing that scene, it could only be ‘Hot Stuff’ by Donna Summer. An unbelievable, liberating, flirty banger that has also created some crazy moments in some of my sets, either with the original or the godlike remix by Frankie Knuckles and Eric Kupper. Second place goes to ‘Love Will Save The Day’ by Whitney Houston, by the way."
If you liked this, check out our interviews with Mandidextrous, Bimini, and Bent Hedonism's Jase Jeffrey next.
Or, discover your next queer night out and Pride party.
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